With things all but wrapped up in the Kelly Rindfleisch case (there is a status hearing on December 19 regarding her appeal), everyone is naturally turning their eyes to Tim Russell, who is next in the first round of Walkergate trials.
And things do not look good for him. Not good at all.
Russell, so far, has only been charged with embezzling money from a veterans fund and from two political campaigns. The District Attorney's Office already has a mountain of evidence against him on this case.
And we just learned that his cohort in crime, Kelly Rindfleisch, has promised to turn state's witness against him. That has to really sting after we also learned that Walker and WISGOP were bankrolling her defense fund.
On top of that, Darlene Wink, who was set to be sentenced this past Wednesday, now has had her sentencing date pushed all the say back to January 10 of next year. That will give her plenty of time to sell Russell out in order to save her own hide.
Besides the embezzlement charges he is already facing, Russell could also be charged with so many other things, such as multiple counts of misconduct in office, that he could (and should) be put away for life.
And on top of that, he is already flat broke and so has an attorney appointed to him through the Public Defender's Office. While Attorney Parker C. Mathers is, by all reports, a very able and good lawyer, he is less likely to go through the more frivolous moves that his previous attorneys have done.
Russell already has been a goldmine of information, including Walker's stonewalling the investigation (bet he's real glad he made that choice). But despite his giving us so many things pointing to Walker, Russell has thus far refused any and all plea bargain offers. His last hearing was supposed to have been his last chance at a plea deal, which he again declined to take, but I wouldn't be surprised that if Russell finally came to his senses, he would try to get a last minute deal.
So now Russell has ten days to make the biggest decision of his life.
Russell can take the fall for his hero and very special friend, even though Walker has totally thrown him under the bus by supporting Rindfleisch and abandoning him.
Or Russell could finally develop some common sense and try to save his butt by begging for a plea deal. Because he has waited so long and has pulled so many stunts in delay his trial and escape justice that he will have to sing like the best songbird ever. But we all know that Russell would have all the information the DA's office could possibly want, so it wouldn't be hard for Russell to do.
But if Russell is entertaining the romantic thought of being a martyr for the cause, that if he fell on his secret router, he would somehow save Walker from facing indictment and trail, he'd better think again.
As we learned from the presentation ADA Bruce Landgraf made at Rindfleisch's sentencing, the DA's Office has, oh, a Mystery Dumpster O'Fun full of evidence on a lot of other people. In other words, Russell's testimony, or that of Wink or Rindfleisch would be the icing on the cake, but are not necessary for the DA to proceed.
Russell should also give thought to the fact that in these sorts of cases, they start at the bottom and work their way up. If he takes it to trial, that allows the DA to enter all sorts of things into evidence, things that would be aimed at Russell but would go a lot further in implicating Walker as well as many others.
So even by falling on his sword, Russell will still help bring Walker that much closer to justice.
If I were Russell, I'd have taken the plea deal long ago. There is no way for him to save Walker from himself, so he might as well help the only person he still can help.
Himself.
Thursday, November 22, 2012
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This is a judicial chessmatch if there ever was one.
ReplyDeleteAside from the criminal charges that the Walkergate Wankers face and/or are pleading guilty to, it seems that maintaining Wingnut Welfare eligibility is an extremely important consideration. For those not sentenced to long prison terms, the future may be mostly sunny thanks to Wingnut Welfare. But are there clouds of doubt on that horizon?
ReplyDeleteAre there any limits to Wingnut Welfare? Is it an entitlement which once earned must be delivered no matter what; or is it at risk in case of certain high crimes and misdemeanors?
It is possible that nothing is too toxic or extreme. Reference, Todd Akin, Rush Limbaugh and Gordon Liddy. For the distaff wingnuts: Michele Bachmann, Sarah Palin and Sharron Angle. (Of these six only Todd Akin and Gordon Liddy were ever arrested for their extremism.)
On the other hand, is it possible that convictions for the types of charges that Brian Pierick is facing:
Charges: One felony count of child enticement (exposing sex organ), a Class D felony punishable by fines of up to $100,000 and/or imprisonment of up to 25 years. One felony count of exposing genitals or pubic area, a Class I Felony, punishable by fines of up to $10,000 and/or imprisonment of up to 3.5 years.
might exclude him from receiving his accrued and vested Wingnut Welfare benefits?
If this is the case then might the taint extend to Scott Russell and then endanger his accrued and vested Wingnut Welfare benefits?
Even assuming no additional charges are filed against Russell, any convictions of Pierick might add credence to the State's allegations of Russell's propinquity and participation in various events far outside the facade of acceptable Republican Wingnut behavior.
Will any of the other various players in Walkergate find they are on a slippery slope with respect to their Wingnut Welfare entitlement?
Or does following Saint Ronald's 11th Commandment guarantee that the Walkergate perps and convicts will receive their Wingnut Welfare benefits, no matter how toxic and reprehensible their actual convictions and behavior?
Is Walker on the witness list for Russell's trial?
ReplyDeleteYup, but supposedly only to confirm that he personally directed the veterans fund to be transferred to Russell's control.
DeleteCapper,
DeleteI haven't read anything that shows that Walker knew that Russell was using the charity to fund his campaign and leisure related activities. I have read that Walker knew specificly direct Russell to manage the funds and that Walker knew the funds were being used for the "charity" event at the zoo (which we can probably agree served to also "embiggen" Walker), but I haven't been able to find any evidence that Walker knew Russell was stealing the money from the account to fund his trip to kiss Herman Cain's ring.
Thoughts?
Is he on the list as a witness for the prosecution or for the defense?
DeleteYou can't find that because it's not germane to the case against Russell.
DeleteAnd again, the DA has him on the list to confirm that he transferred control of the funds to Russell. That's all.